10th Circle Biennial Conference of AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle – A Brief Report

At a time when the biting cold of the winter was just replaced by the pleasant warmth and snugness of the Spring, the king of the Seasons and at a time when everybody dressed in celebration and breathed the delicious smell of flowers of myriads of colours,  the All India Postal Employees Union, Group-C, the biggest Service Union of the largest Postal Network of the World conducted the 10^th Biennial Conference of its Odisha Circle branch from 1^st March to 3^rd March, 2019  in the beautiful Steel City of Rourkela, the third largest Urban Agglomeration in Odisha intersected by the rivers Brahmani, Koel and Sankha  and surrounded by the beauty of dense forests depicting a glorious track record of strong trade unionism of industrial workers. The Steel City was established on 3^rd March, 1954 and coincidentally, the staff members of AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle branch were fortunate to celebrate Rourkela Day along with the Open Session of the Biennial Conference on 03.03.2019 in Bhanja Bhawan, Rourkela with joy, fun and warmth. 

The Working Committee Meeting followed by the Subject Committee was started on 1^st March in the Conference Hall of Hotel Aastha where all arrangements were made for the delegates by the Reception Committee. After offering due homage to the departed souls, the Draft Biennial Report and Audited Accounts were adopted by the Working Committee on the day. Out of 18 Divisions, except two (Bhadrak and Kalahandi), 16 Divisions actively participated with narrative deliberations on all issues confronted by the Central Govt. employees in general and postal employees in particular. The debate and discussions were continued till late night of 02.03.2019 and many resolutions were adopted. The Circle Secretary replied all the points raised by the delegates.

Just before the beginning of the Open Session on 03.03.2019, a mass rally was conducted from Rourkela-2 MDG to Bhanja Bhawan with the kind participation of Com. M Krishnan, Secretary General Confederation of Central Govt. Employees and Workers, CHQ, Com. R N Parashar, Secretary General NFPE, CHQ and General Secretary, AIPEU, Group-C, CHQ and Com. Debabrata Mohanty, General Secretary, AIPEU, Postman and MTS, CHQ who hoisted the National Flag, NFPE Flag and AIPEU Flag respectively.

The welcome Speech was given by the Shri Subrat Tarai, Ex-Minister, Govt. of Odisha, MLA, Raghunathpalli Constituency and Chairman, Reception Committee.

The Open Session was inaugurated by Com. R N Parashar, Secretary General NFPE, CHQ and General Secretary, AIPEU, Group-C, CHQ. In his deliberation, he briefed all the current issues confronted by the postal employees, especially the Group-C cadre. The activities undertaken by of the CHQ, Postal JCA, Confederation and NC JCM for redressal of the issues were narrated by him. He emphasized on implementation of all agitational programmes   for the purpose to get rid of the issues and registered his satisfaction on the performance of Odisha Circle in this regard. He appealed the mass to conduct all the forthcoming struggle programmes successfully.

As chief Speaker of the Open Session, briefing the history of Postal Trade Union movement, Com. Krishnan described the sacrifices of our earlier leaders including brutal  murder, imprisonment, transfer / suspension / removal / dismissal from service and disclosed many untold facts on such leaders like Babu Tarapad, Mukherjee, Dada Ghosh and many others and tried to inform the delegates how NFPTE / NFPE has been built up with the sweat and blood of these leaders and now working as class oriented militant organization. Com. Krishnan emphasized  that it is the responsibility of the senior leaders to make aware the youngsters who are now entering into the Department regarding such sacrifices of our leaders for which we are now enjoying all benefits of fixed duty hours, leave, DA, TA, bonus etc as Central Govt. employees and to bring them into the main stream.  Citing the example of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, he told, “One can kill us. But can’t make us surrender”. “Odias being the heirs of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose should not surrender before the corrupt officers / administration” – he stressed.

Com. Debabrata Mohanty, General Secretary, AIPEU, Postman and MTS, CHQ addressed the Open Session as Hon’ble Speaker. He expressed concerned on the future of India Post which is being corporatized by the present Govt. in a phased manner and appealed the mass to discuss, debate and decide if  our future is secured in the hands of a corporate friendly Govt. Among others, Com. Kishore Biswal, Vice-President, AIPAOEU, CHQ also addressed the Open Session as Hon’ble Speaker.

The Chief Postmaster General, Odisha Circle Dr. Santosh Kumar Kamila and Postmaster General, Sambalpur Region Shri Lalitendu Pradhan who were the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively couldn’t attend the Open Session  due to sudden visit of  Hon’ble Minister, Communications & IT to Odisha. However both personally wished the success of the Conference through telephonic messages to the Circle Secretary. On behalf of the administration Shri Manoj Kumar Naik, SSPOs, Sundergarh Division attended the Open Session.

The Conference was also attended by Com. Niranjan Rout, ex-Circle Secretary / ex-Circle President of AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle and ex-Organzing General Secretary, CHQ.  

The Conference was presided over by Com. Trilochan Parida, President, AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle and vote of thanks was given by Com. B Samal, Circle Secretary.

The concluding ceremony of the Conference was enriched with colourful cultural programmes. Entire Sundergarh Division and the delegates were seen dancing and singing in the evening to the tune of Rourkela Day. For the first time in Odisha Circle, Sundergarh Division set up a level and fixed a standard in organizing the Circle Conference. The hospitality rendered by the Comrades of Sundergarh Division was par excellence. Suitable accommodations had been provided to the delegates in Hotel Aastha along with nice food arrangements. The efforts of the volunteers headed by Com. Ranjan Kumar Rout, Divisional Secretary, AIPEU, Group-C, Sundergarh Division and his team comprising Com. Ashutosh Mohapatra, Com. G C Pal, Com. S N Rout, Com. Mrutunjaya Barik and many young comrades both for successful conductance of the Conference and for extending efficient and prompt service to the delegates are praise worthy.

The AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle branch records its sincere thanks to all the Comrades of Sundergarh Division.

The 10^th Circle Biennial Conference elected a new set of office bearers unanimously for the ensuing session.

Sl.	Portfolio	Name	Address	Division
1	Circle President	Pradeep Chandra Rout	SPM, Remed SO, Sambalpur - 768006	Sambalpur
2	Vice-President	1.    Gopal Chandra Padhiary	SPM, Balasore Court SO - 756001	Balasore
		2.    Satyabrata Mishra	PA, Bhanjapur SO, Baripada - 757002	Mayurbhanj
		3.    Basant Kumar Pathi	Accountant, Divisional Office,  Aska – 761110	Aska
3	Circle Secretary	Bruhaspati Samal	Postmaster, College Square M D G, Cuttack - 753 003	Cuttack City
4	Asst. Circle Secretary	1.    Ashutosh Mohapatra	APM (Accounts), Rourkela H O - 769 001	Sundergarh
		2.    Sibananda Dash	SPM, Courtpeta SO, Berhampur - 760004	Berhampur
		3.    Dipti Ranjan Mohanty	APM, Bhubaneswar GPO - 751001	Bhubaneswar
		4.    Pranaya Kumar Nayak	Treasurer, Nayagarh HO -752069	Puri
		5.    Bidya Bhusan Bhatra	PA, Jeypore HO – 764 001	Koraput
5	Financial Secretary	Lingaraj Sahoo	Supervisor, PLI CPC, Bhubaneswar GPO -751001	Bhubaneswar
6	Asst. Financial Secretary	Amulya Kumar Mishra	SPM, Raisuan S O - 759013	Keonjhar
7	Organizing Secretary	1.    Ranjan Kumar Rout	Trainer, WTC, Rourkela HO - 769001	Sundergarh
		2.    Ajaya Narayan Das	SPM, Sergarh SO -756060	Balasore
		3.    Rabi Narayan Choudhury	SA, Phulbani HO -762001	Phulbani
8	Auditor	Bishnu Prasad Das	PA, Cuttack GPO -753001	Cuttack City
9	Supreme Councilor	1.    Suryakanta Sahoo	SPM, Khamar SO -759118	Dhenkanal
		2.    Subash Saranagi	Postmaster Grade-II, Sonepur MDG -767017	Bolangir

(Bruhaspati Samal)

Circle Secretary